Doing The Right Thing
by DaughteroftheOneTrueKing
Summary: Harry takes steps in helping the Magical Community to heal.


I've been at it with stories haven't I? Well this will continue for a few more weeks as I compete in Claire's summer camp on IWSC. This week's prompt is about Fort Building. We have to write about people in the Golden Trio's timeline rebuilding after the war. I got this idea from a prompt post on Pinterest, I hope you enjoy it!

Word Count: 996

As Harry stared at the object before him, he doubted his plan. He wasn't sure if it would help or make things worse for everyone he'd invited to take part.

In front of him was the Mirror of Erised. He had found it while wandering around the castle as it was being rebuilt. He'd had quite a hand in the repair process, but once in a while, he simply strolled around, seeing what else needed to be done. On one such time, he'd found it. He assumed it was the same room he'd first found it back in his first year, but he couldn't be certain. The words that were engraved on the top were as clear as ever: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.

As he contemplated whether he should simply call this gathering off, a knock on the open door caught his attention. Standing in the doorway was Susan Bones. She had changed quite a lot since their days of schooling. She seemed tougher than she had been, but of course that could be said of most who had fought in the war.

"Hi, Harry," she said as she entered. "What's this all about?"

Harry gestured to a cluster of chairs nearby. "Hi, Susan. I'll explain everything once everybody gets here. Go ahead and sit for now."

As she did, Harry saw Jack Sloper, one of the Gryffindor Beaters from his year as Quidditch Captain. The next half an hour turned into a blur of greetings and general chatter among those who arrived.

Finally, when the last invitee, Dennis Creevey, had arrived, Harry stood before his thirty or so guests.

"Um, hi everyone," Harry began. He looked at everyone he'd invited: all the Weasleys, Hermione, the Patil twins, Angelina Johnson, Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, Jack Sloper, Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, and several others. Even Draco Malfoy sat in a corner, as far as he could get from everyone and looking very uncomfortable. "I know all of you have no idea why you're here. I know it might be tough for some of you, but I'm hoping that for most of you it will help you to move on and heal from the war."

He searched the faces of his friends, deciding which of them would be the first to look in the mirror, as he continued. "This is the Mirror of Erised. It shows you the one thing you desire over anything else. George, come and see."

George Weasley looked up in surprise. He looked pretty beat up—his hair clearly hadn't been combed, his clothes were rumpled, he hadn't shaved, and his eyes were baggy and bloodshot, probably from little sleep or too much crying. He stood up, though, and approached.

As George made it up front and stood before the enchanted mirror, he let out a gasp that was nearly a sob. Harry saw tears slide down his face as he took in what he was seeing. Seeing this, Harry realized that he was doing exactly the right thing.

"It's Fred…" George breathed, incredulously. "He's okay! He's not hurt, he's… he's laughing." From his tone, Harry guessed he was imagining what the probably questionable joke had been that was making Fred laugh in the mirror. George didn't take his disbelieving eyes off of the Mirror.

"Come on, guys," Harry said to the other Weasleys, who all quickly jumped from their seats and surrounded George, except for Ginny. She walked over to him and gripped his hand tightly.

"Thank you for doing this," she said. Her voice was tight, giving Harry the clue that she was, like her brothers and parents, barely holding her tears back. "It's giving us a chance to say goodbye."

"It'll help them move on," Harry replied. "I'm glad I'm doing some good now."

As Ginny joined her family, Harry stayed a respectful distance away to give them their space. Once they had their fill of the mirror, Harry called the next people up.

The rest of the day, Harry watched as all of the people he'd invited to see the mirror got the chance to say goodbye to their loved ones.

Parvati and Padma Patil saw their friend Lavender, whole and werewolf-bite-free.

Jack Sloper saw Demelza Robbins, and revealed that he'd had a crush on her for a few years, and it had grown since they'd both joined the Quidditch team.

Angelina said she saw Alicia Spinett, whom she had lost contact with after Hogwarts and wished she had somehow gotten to see her before she'd died in the battle.

As everyone described what they saw and let their pent up emotions out, Harry felt more and more strongly that showing these people the Mirror of Erised was the best thing he'd done since the war had ended. It was giving these people the strength to move on and rebuild their lives.

Finally, at around three or so in the afternoon, Hermione had taken her turn and tearfully remembered her parents, whom she hadn't been able to save from her own Memory Modification Charm and were now living in Australia with no recollection of their daughter. A few people had stayed to have another look, and as Harry turned to bring up someone else, Dennis Creevey walked up to him and spoke to him.

"You should take this around to other places," he said. "Other people should see this, too."

As Dennis turned to the mirror, which he said showed him his older brother, who had been the essence of a Gryffindor, snuck into the battle, and been killed, Harry thought about his suggestion.

It was a good one. Why should only the people he knew get to see this? Plenty of other people had lost loved ones during the war. They deserved a chance at the same closure he was giving the people he'd invited.

He immediately started making plans to figure out who some of the other people who had lost someone were.


End file.
